The present invention relates to oil wells, gas wells, and water wells, and particularly to filters which are inserted into oil, gas, or water well bores. More particularly, the present invention relates to a protective cover for protecting a well screen as it is being inserted down a well bore.
Conventional well screens for filtering impurities out of oil, gas, or water include a perforated jacket or cover surrounding a filter medium or screen which filters impurities out of the oil, gas, or water. Typically, sections of well screen are linked together, end-to-end, to form a string which is inserted down a well bore. To drain a reservoir of oil, gas, or water most efficiently, it is desirable to monitor key parameters at various points along the string. For example, it is often desirable to monitor temperature, pressure, flow rate, and/or water content at various points along the well screen string.
Conventional well screens may utilize a fiber optic cable placed continuously along an exterior surface of the well screen cover to monitor these parameters. The fiber optic cable is fed into the well bore as multiple well screen segments are strung together and run into the well. Running a fiber optic cable into a well bore along with a well screen creates the potential for breakage of the fiber optic cable. A well screen cover structure which accommodates a fiber optic cable and helps prevent the cable from breaking would be welcomed by users of well screens.
According to the present invention, a well screen comprises a protective cover or jacket having a channel inset into an exterior surface of the cover and adapted to receive a fiber optic cable.
In preferred embodiments, the well screen cover includes the channel formed into the exterior surface of the cover and adapted to nest the fiber optic cable. The protective jacket or cover of the well screen is generally cylindrical, except for the preformed, channeled portion which creates a trough or channel inset from the exterior surface of the well screen to receive the fiber optic cable.